Accessing shared printers/files from a Vista laptop

[Jingles]

I have a HP laptop running vista home premium. I have a desktop running XP
Media Center Edition 2005. I have a multi-function printer connected to the
desktop. Both computers are in the same workgroup. All the file and print
sharing is turned on. I can't seem to connect to the printer from the
laptop. I get an error message saying "Windows cannot connect to the
printer. Access is denied." I can see the desktop and the printer through
the network connections, but I can't access any shared folders or printer. I
don't have any 3rd party firewall installed. I tried enabling the netBIOS
over TCP/IP. I still seem to get the same error message. Is there any way
that I can access the printer without having to buy a print server?

 

[Malke]

I have a HP laptop running vista home premium. I have a desktop running XP
Media Center Edition 2005. I have a multi-function printer connected to the
desktop. Both computers are in the same workgroup. All the file and print
sharing is turned on. I can't seem to connect to the printer from the
laptop. I get an error message saying "Windows cannot connect to the
printer. Access is denied." I can see the desktop and the printer through
the network connections, but I can't access any shared folders or printer. I
don't have any 3rd party firewall installed. I tried enabling the netBIOS
over TCP/IP. I still seem to get the same error message. Is there any way
that I can access the printer without having to buy a print server?

Review this link for what you need to enable file/printer sharing in Vista:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

Create matching user accounts and passwords on all machines.You do not
need to be logged into the same account on all machines and the
passwords can be different for each user account; they simply need to
exist on all machines. If you wish a machine to boot directly to the
Desktop (into one particular user's account) for convenience, you can do
this. The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

Share out the printer on the XP box. Then go to the printer mftr.'s
website and download the latest drivers for Vista. Install them on the
Vista machine. The printer should be seen during the installation
routine. If it is not, install the drivers and then use the Add Printer
Wizard.


Malke

 

[Jingles]

I tried creating a new account on the computer that the printer is connected
to that matches the account on my vista laptop. I tried connecting to the
printer and got the same message. I checked to make sure that the
permissions for the printer sharing allowed for the account to access the
printer. Is there anything else that will work?

 

[Malke]

I tried creating a new account on the computer that the printer is connected
to that matches the account on my vista laptop. I tried connecting to the
printer and got the same message. I checked to make sure that the
permissions for the printer sharing allowed for the account to access the
printer. Is there anything else that will work?

Did you go through the steps outlined at the first link I gave you? Did
you properly configure all firewalls? Make sure you aren't inadvertently
running two firewalls? You're doing something wrong but because I can't
see your computer I don't know what it is. I've set up many shared
printers between XP and Vista and it works just fine.

Try going through MVP Hans-Georg Michna's troubleshooter; if you take
the time to do this it will usually pinpoint the problem area(s):

http://winhlp.com/wxnet.htm


Malke

 

[Jingles]

I tried as much of the steps that each of the articles that you suggested
that I could, but to no avail. I still cannot access a shared folder or
printer on the xp machine

 

[Malke]

I tried as much of the steps that each of the articles that you suggested
that I could, but to no avail. I still cannot access a shared folder or
printer on the xp machine

We can try a few more things.

1. First, what security/antivirus programs do you have installed? Answer
that before anything else.

2. Then post the output of ipconfig /all from both machines. To do this:

On the XP box:
Start>Run>cmd [enter]
ipconfig /all [enter]

On the Vista box:

1. Click Start
2. Type: cmd
3. Right-click cmd when it appears under Programs
4. Click Run As Administrator

This will get you the command prompt running elevated. Do the same
ipconfig /all in it.

3. Describe your network setup. Cable/DSL modem to router? Which router
make/model? Can both machines reach the Internet?


Malke

 

[Jingles]

I don't have any third party security or antivirus programs installed. I
only have the windows security center. Here is the printout of the ipconfig
/all results for my vista laptop.

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Shane-Laptop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-E8-1D-72-C3
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::c1a3:d992:7832:94fb%9(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.5(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, November 25, 2007 1:28:15 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, November 26, 2007 1:22:42 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 218108904
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E
Gigab
it Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-24-58-25-D0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

I have a DSL modem connected to a Netgear Wireless router. The model number
for the router is WGR614. both computers can access the internet.
At the moment I am having problems accessing my email, but that is a problem
on the ISPs end of the line. I can't even do it from their website. When I
try to access my email or some websites, I get an error. When I check on the
error, I get a message that says that my ISPs DNS server is down. That is
why I don't have the ipconfig from the desktop listed here. I emailed it to
myself, but I can't get my emails.

I tried as much of the steps that each of the articles that you suggested
that I could, but to no avail. I still cannot access a shared folder or
printer on the xp machine

We can try a few more things.

1. First, what security/antivirus programs do you have installed? Answer
that before anything else.

2. Then post the output of ipconfig /all from both machines. To do this:

On the XP box:
Start>Run>cmd [enter]
ipconfig /all [enter]

On the Vista box:

1. Click Start
2. Type: cmd
3. Right-click cmd when it appears under Programs
4. Click Run As Administrator

This will get you the command prompt running elevated. Do the same
ipconfig /all in it.

3. Describe your network setup. Cable/DSL modem to router? Which router
make/model? Can both machines reach the Internet?


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Jingles]

Here is the ipconfig /all print out from the XP desktop.


C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Barbara
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82562V 10/100 Network
Conne
ction
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-18-F3-28-90-25
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, November 25, 2007
12:13:42 P
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, November 26, 2007
12:13:42 P
M

I tried as much of the steps that each of the articles that you suggested
that I could, but to no avail. I still cannot access a shared folder or
printer on the xp machine

We can try a few more things.

1. First, what security/antivirus programs do you have installed? Answer
that before anything else.

2. Then post the output of ipconfig /all from both machines. To do this:

On the XP box:
Start>Run>cmd [enter]
ipconfig /all [enter]

On the Vista box:

1. Click Start
2. Type: cmd
3. Right-click cmd when it appears under Programs
4. Click Run As Administrator

This will get you the command prompt running elevated. Do the same
ipconfig /all in it.

3. Describe your network setup. Cable/DSL modem to router? Which router
make/model? Can both machines reach the Internet?


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Malke]

Here is the ipconfig /all print out from the XP desktop.


C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Barbara
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82562V 10/100 Network
Conne
ction
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-18-F3-28-90-25
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Your network configuration looks fine. I can't believe you're running
Windows machines with no antivirus programs installed. However, if
you're really sure about that then I don't know what the problem is.
Without being able to see your machines, I think I've taken it as far as
I can in a newsgroup posting. I've set up many, many networks with
various operating systems - including Vista - and normally if you allow
file/printer sharing, create identical user accounts/passwords, share
out resources with correct permissions, and properly configure the
firewalls - there is no problem. So you are doing something wrong but
I'm afraid I don't know what it is.

You should have a local computer professional come on-site and set you
up (not someone from BigComputerStore/GeekSquad) or a knowledgeable
friend (who is really knowledgeable and not just says he is) who has
worked with Vista machines.

I'm sorry that I was unable to help you and wish you the very best of luck.


Malke

 

[Jingles]

I figured it out. One of your entries stated that all the computers must
have the same account on it. When I set up the user account on my laptop, I
didn't give it a password. So when I set up the account on the desktop, I
didn't give it a password either. I gave both of the accounts a password and
it works like it should. I can access the printer and all the shared files

 

[Malke]

I figured it out. One of your entries stated that all the computers must
have the same account on it. When I set up the user account on my laptop, I
didn't give it a password. So when I set up the account on the desktop, I
didn't give it a password either. I gave both of the accounts a password and
it works like it should. I can access the printer and all the shared files
on the desktop from the laptop. Thanks for all the help that you gave me.

I'm glad you finally got it sorted. Thanks for taking the time to post
back with your solution.


Malke